Roos: U.S. committed to Fukushima, green drive

FUKUSHIMA – The United States is committed to doing “whatever we can” to support Fukushima’s reconstruction following the March 11 disaster, including helping to spread the message that the prefecture is “open for business,” U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos assured Fukushima Gov. Yuhei Sato on Tuesday.

Roos also told reporters after talks with Sato during a two-day visit to Fukushima that the United States hopes to cooperate with Japan broadly on renewable energy, in which both countries have leading expertise.

The remarks came in response to Sato’s request for U.S. help in the field.

“I think the fact that we are two of the leading countries in this regard allows for the opportunity for a broad range of coordination across a broad range of renewable energy areas,” Roos said.

He also said he told Sato that the U.S. stands “ready, willing and able” to continue cooperating and assisting Japan in addressing the ongoing crisis at the stricken Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, which he had visited Monday.

After the meeting, Roos visited an elementary school in Kawamata, a town adjacent to the city of Fukushima.